Chase of the Seekers
by Angoliel
Summary: Rated T just for safety. The Ravenclaw Quidditch team tries out a new seeker. During the "audition", trouble comes along. Written as a teaser for Blackstone and a commercial for Silver Panther.


**Summary:** Aurelia's try out for the position of Ravenclaw Seeker at Hogwarts.

* * *

"Alright, Blackstone," Jack Macdermott began, pulling out a box. "You're pretty small to be a seeker, but I've been told that you've got determination, patience anda good understanding of how to get the broom to do what you want."

Aurelia smiled up at the fifth year team leader, tightening her Quidditch glove. She was a little late for trying out for the team, but Macdermott had been willing to give her a private audition. She was only in her third year, but she had told herself she would at least try. Her family was rooting for her all the way.

"Now, I'm going to let loose the snitch. I just hope you won't lose your supper...it's a pretty new snitch, so it's still got some zing," Jack warned.

"Oh come on, Macdermott," a silky voice patronized. "You make it sound as though it just came last week."

Jack and Aurelia spun around to see the Slytherin seeker striding toward them, a sneer on his face and his broom in his hand.

"Malfoy, you get out of here," Jack hissed, his Scottish accent getting thicker in his agitation. "This is a private try out."

"What's the use in giving a try out when there's no challenge?" Lucius smirked. "I'll help you test her."

"Grabbin' the snitch is hard enough for a try out," Jack frowned. "I don't need ye to biff a potential new player."

"Nonsense," the fifth year Slytherin laughed. "I'd get my hair all mussed. Wouldn't want that, now would we, Blackstone?"

"Let it loose, Jack," Aurelia broke in, having tied her hair back tightly with a blue ribbon. "I'm ready."

Jack opened the box, and immediately a gold blur raced out. Aurelia gave it a ten second head start before calling up her broom and chasing after it. Lucius gave her a ten second head start before starting off himself.

As Aurelia made a circuit around the field in pursuit of the snitch, she suddenly heard a soft chuckle nearby. Her head snapped around to see Lucius Malfoy's smirking face not far from hers. "Having fun, Blackstone?" he asked.

"As a matter of fact, yes," she replied. "But I wouldn't tag along so closely. I've been known to flail my arms at random times."

Raising an eyebrow, Lucius laughed and pulled away. Aurelia looked ahead to see the Gryffindor stand fast approaching. Squeaking out a gasp, she pulled up her broom and missed it by a mere foot. "Drat you, Malfoy," she muttered. "Now I know why everyone hates you."

At that moment the snitch flitted past her ear. Aurelia spun about and followed it, reaching out a hand to grab it. Suddenly her broom pulled back with a jerk, and the snitch flew several yards away. Looking back, Aurelia frowned. Lucius was holding onto her broom, using her momentum to pull him along, and holding her back in the process. Well, if he wanted to play _that_ way...

"I wouldn't do that, Malfoy," she smiled sweetly. "Bad things happen. Like this."

Grabbing a tight hold of his hair, Aurelia suddenly made a dive to the ground. Lucius cried out in pain and anger, clawing at her hand, but only helping her to yank out a couple of strands of his platinum blonde locks. Frantically looking ahead, he saw the ground rising up to meet them, it seemed. Just in time, Aurelia let go of his hair, but only saved herself by suddenly pulling up. Lucius' broom stuck in the ground and he flew forward, kissing the hardened earth and sliding for a few feet. Rolling over on his back, he quickly sat up when he discovered his nose was bleeding. Spitting out a couple of clods of dirt, Lucius gingerly patted his nose. Oh good, it wasn't broken. A miracle.

Aurelia had by this time found the snitch again and was directly behind it. Reaching out for it, Aurelia could feel its wings beating against her curled fingers. Abruptly she saw a light shooting toward her, and her broom lurched, spinning in corkscrews. Hanging on for dear life, Aurelia heard Jack shouting at the downed Slytherin.

"Malfoy, you bloody maniac!"

Lucius tucked away his wand and pulled his broom out of the ground. His revenge had been paid. It was up to Aurelia to catch the snitch and survive his spell, now. With a smirk, he left the field.

The snitch was still just ahead of her. Several times, Aurelia made her grip tighter on the broom with one hand and reached out with the other. She could still manuver her broom...it just made five revolutions per three feet of distance, that's all. Desperately, she reached out for the snitch and batted at it. Ah, she felt it against her palm! Quickly closing her hand, Aurelia shouted in triumph. But then she lost her grip on the broom. Falling five feet to the ground, Aurelia landed on her back and got the wind knocked out of her. Holding up her fist, she opened it just a little to see that she had indeed caught the snitch.

Jack raced over and slid on his knees at her side. "Aurelia," he said worriedly, lifting her upper body a little. "Aurelia, are you alright?"

Too busy gasping for air, Blackstone quickly nodded, holding out the snitch for him to take. "Here," she finally wheezed.

A small group of Ravenclaw students rushed over, cheering. It was the Quidditch team, many of them fourth or fifth years. "That was bloomin' wicked!" some of them exclaimed. "Did you see the way she took out Malfoy?"

"That catch was pure luck!" Cammille Hunter said excitedly. The beater's face was so flushed it was as if she had been on the broom herself.

"Well, Jack, what's the word?" Jane Ashton asked. The chaser spoke everyone's mind, and the rest of the congratulation committee fell silent.

Jack Macdermott looked down at Aurelia, who was just now slowing her breath. "Can you keep that determination for every game?"

"If it means getting the cup," Aurelia answered.

"Then we've got ourselves a new seeker!"

The team cheered and helped Aurelia up, patting her on the back. In the Gryffindor entrance to the field, two figures watched, unnoticed.

"As you can see, Miss Castleton-Black, we're quite serious about the game," Dumbledore chuckled. A young lady smiled, looking down at her year old baby.

"I just hope my Serena will be happy here," she murmured. She felt a comforting hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Dumbledore's friendly grin.

"Young miss Serena will be very safe here at Hogwarts, I assure you."

* * *

Muahaha! Read "Shadow of a Silver Panther" by Roisin Dubh to learn about Serena's current adventures! 


End file.
